Law, Health Policy & Disability Center
University of Iowa College of Law
http://disability.law.uiowa.edu/dpn/
and
The Burton Blatt Institute
Syracuse University
http://bbi.syr.edu
One–Stop Toolkit
Resources of the Week Technical Assistance Project E–Mail listserv
11 January 2008
Good morning everyone,
Below please find the web site and publication of the week, as well as other resources that we hope will be useful as you work on systems change activities to help improve employment opportunities for persons with disabilities.
To subscribe and / or view past resources of the week archives, access: www.onestoptoolkit.org and click on the link to "Resources of the Week" on the right hand side of the home page.
To view an indexed list of the resources of the week by subject matter, visit the L.P.H.D.C. web site at http://disability.law.uiowa.edu/lhpdc/resources/wig/default.asp. It currently includes 20 categories, covering over 300 annotated references. Each category opens to a new window with each Resource of the Week which covered material in that area.
Have a good day and weekend!
Laura Gleneck
Program Associate
Law, Health Policy & Disability Center
University of Iowa College of Law
P: 617–489–0086
F: 617–489–1374
[ E–mail Lgleneck@mail.law.uiowa.edu ]
[ E–mail LFarah8@aol.com ]
[ http://www.onestoptoolkit.org ]
AND
[The full announcements (Guide, Fact Sheets) are located under the section heading "Resources of Interest."]
One-Stop Career Center staff are well aware of most needs of the individual who seeks their help: a job, job training, job search strategies and other employment services. However, what often is missing is a concentrated effort to ensure that people can reach required services and jobs by exploring transportation options. One-Stop Career Centers can play important roles in helping people find rides to jobs and training opportunities. Jobs are often located away from mainline transportation or in suburban industrial parks. In rural areas, jobs may be decentralized and situated in communities or areas where there are long distances between employees and work sites. Add to the mix the reality of not having a personal vehicle readily available and people are faced with the daunting question, “But how do I get there?”
While transportation is an issue for everyone, the lack of it in the lives of many people with disabilities is a major obstacle to community access. Only 35 percent of people with disabilities report being employed full or part time. That compares to 78 percent of people who do not have disabilities. Inadequate transportation is cited as one of the most significant barriers to finding and/or maintaining employment. This is unfortunate, because, as you especially know, people with disabilities offer skills, dedication and reliability to the work force. With the support of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), people with disabilities benefit from improved access and public accommodation in the work place and the transportation system. Knowing this, One-Stop centers can help the job seeker with disabilities find a job AND a ride.
Using both the guide for One-Stop Career Centers on making the transportation link for job seekers with disabilities and the guidance provided in the following fact sheets from the United We Ride initiative, Navigators can work with their One-Stop staff and partners, as well as through their local interagency teams to help begin (or continue to expand and enhance) transportation connections within their community.
Fact Sheet: United We Ride
This two page fact sheet provides information on the United
We Ride (UWR) program, which is a federal interagency initiative
aimed at improving the availability, quality, and efficient
delivery of transportation services for older adults, people
with disabilities, and individuals with lower incomes. It also
highlights the “One Vision One Call” program, which
simplifies access to transportation services.
Fact Sheet: Mobility Management
This four page fact sheet provides information on Mobility
Management, which is an innovative approach for managing and
delivering coordinated transportation services to customers,
including older adults, people with disabilities, and individuals
with lower incomes. The fact sheet highlights the different
ways that this approach differs from traditional transit services
and it also identifies the steps involved in coordinating mobility
management in a community. Finally, it provides examples of
how mobility management has been implemented in two areas.
Fact Sheet: Family of Transportation Services
Access to transportation mobility for older adults, people
with disabilities, and individuals with lower incomes is critical
for their physical, social, economic, and psychological well-being.
This four page fact sheet provides guidance to communities
that may wish to adopt a Family of Transportation Services
approach to provide a broad range of options and specifically
match modes to community demographics and needs, particularly
the needs of older adults, people with disabilities, and individuals
with lower incomes. The fact sheet highlights what a Family
of Transportation Services may include.
Fact Sheet: Transportation Services Coordination
Plan
This four page fact sheet highlights that greater access
to transportation services for people with disabilities, older
adults, and individuals with lower incomes begins with a coordination
plan and outlines in detail what the elements of a plan would
include. Finally, the fact sheet includes guidance for those
areas that may need help getting started especially since there
are many approaches to developing a coordination plan.
DATES: The 60-day public comment period will end on February 11, 2008.
SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Labor is proposing rules to align the national apprenticeship system with the tools and flexibility needed for the 21st century global economy. "Apprenticeship is a proven model of training that has been expanded beyond its traditional origins in industries such as construction to high growth industries and sectors," said Assistant Secretary of Labor for Employment and Training Emily Stover DeRocco. "We have proposed new regulations to reflect the 21st century global economy and the changes that have occurred in apprenticeship programs over the past 30 years."
The proposed rules would set up a more flexible and user-friendly approach for apprentices and employers, and make updates and changes affecting state apprenticeship agencies and the U.S. Department of Labor. The revisions would expand the ways that individuals can advance through apprenticeships. The types of training would expand from one to the following three approaches:
Electronic media would be added to the definition of Related Technical Instruction and, as a result, establish technology-based and distance learning as part of an apprentice's instruction.
The proposed changes provide for interim credential certificates, so that active apprentices can demonstrate their proficiency in particular required skills and competencies to employers. Provisions also feature reciprocity, which would allow programs to cross state lines, so long as the host state's applicable laws are followed. Program performance and accountability standards would be enhanced, while guidance and technical assistance would continue to give apprenticeship programs the best prospects for success.
FEDERAL REGISTER: The proposed rules appear in the December
13, 2007 Federal Register. Access the following URL to read
the full notice including how and where to submit public comments:
http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20071800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2007/E7-24178.htm
On December 3, 2007, President Bush sent to the Senate for confirmation the nomination of Neil Romano as Assistant Secretary of Labor in charge of employment disability policy. Romano is considered among the nation's leading authorities in the field of media and public advocacy. In 2003, Mr. Romano founded America's Strength Foundation, a private organization designed to help people with disabilities find mainstream employment. Through America's Strength, he has become a source of information and assistance on how individuals with disabilities and related agencies can build stronger relationships with the business community. He has presented on the value of hiring individuals with disabilities from a business perspective.
On January 3, 2008, a TEGL was sent from Assistant Secretary Emily Stover DeRocco to all State Workforce Agencies, State Workforce Administrators, State Workforce Liaisons, National Apprenticeship Sponsors, State Apprenticeship Agencies, Office Of Apprenticeship Staff, and National Senior Community Service Employment Program Grantees on using technology-based learning in the Workforce Investment System.
The purpose of this TEGL is to encourage the use of technology-based learning (TBL) in order to increase access to learning opportunities for workforce investment system customers within existing statutory and regulatory flexibility of various Employment and Training Administration (ETA) programs. This guidance addresses real and perceived issues limiting greater use of TBL methods for training in the workforce investment system, including concerns about: training content, physical class attendance, time-in-training requirements, technological access issues, and accessibility and accommodations for individuals with disabilities.
Access the URL to download the complete document.
On December 31, 2007, a TEN was sent from Assistant Secretary Emily Stover DeRocco to all State Workforce Agencies, all State Workforce Liaisons, and all One-Stop Career Center system leads on building and sustaining on educated and prepared STEM workforce. The purpose of this TEN is to share the Department of Labor’s vision for the public workforce system’s role in developing the talent needed for high growth industries requiring science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).
According to the TEN, DOL encourages Workforce Investment Boards (WIBs) and One-Stop Career Centers to be knowledgeable and engaged partners in efforts to help address the escalating challenges of “growing” the STEM pipeline. The public workforce investment system is uniquely positioned in many communities to be an important partner because of its universal access to human capital that ranges from at-risk youth to experienced workers; its strong partnerships with community colleges, employers, and faith-based and community organizations; and its continued transformation supporting high growth industries, many of which require a highly skilled STEM workforce.
Access the URL to read the complete TEN.
The Job Accommodation Network and U.S. Business Leadership Network offer this webcasts series. Webcasts use your Web browser (e.g., Internet Explorer or FireFox). You must have the Macromedia Flash plug-in on your computer. Captioning is integrated into the Webcast platform. Please read how the training works for more information. All sessions will have real-time captioning. All Webcasts are on the second Tuesday of the month with the exception of the May, 2008, Webcast. All training events begin at 2 pm Eastern and last for one hour.
To register for Webcasts in this series, go to: http://www.jan.wvu.edu/webcast/register/
2008 webcasts in this series include the following:
For more information about this Webcast or others in the JAN/USBLN series go to:
[ http://www.jan.wvu.edu/webcast/ ]
[ E–mail training@jan.wvu.edu ]
800-526-7234 and select Option "5" (Voice) and
877-781-9403 (TTY)
On January 9, the first episode of the Disability Law Lowdown Podcast series will be available for free download on both iTunes and the Disability Law Lowdown website. The Disability Law Lowdown podcasts will deliver the latest in disability law information every other week. Listeners can subscribe to the podcasts to have shows automatically delivered to them. The podcasts are also available on the DLL website, where transcripts of the shows are simultaneously available.
The hosts for the Disability Law Lowdown are Lex Frieden and Jacquie Brennan. Reporters from around the country will bring listeners the latest information about disability rights, disability case law updates, obligations under the Americans with Disabilities Act, and other disability-related topics. You can subscribe now and listen to a preview podcast with information about upcoming shows. During 2008, Disability Law Lowdown will begin offering podcasts in both Spanish and American Sign Language.
Disability Law Lowdown is brought to you by the national network of Disability Business Technical Assistance Centers (DBTACs). All ten Centers are funded by the National Institute on Disability Rehabilitation and Research to provide technical assistance and training in the Americans with Disabilities Act and other disability-related laws. Find out about the resources your regional center offers by calling 1-800-949-4232 (V/TTY).
To subscribe, look for the Disability Law Lowdown podcast on iTunes, or go to our website at http://dll.ada-podcast.com/.
One-Stop Career Center staff are well aware of the needs of the individual who seeks their help: a job, job training, job search strategies and other employment services. However, what often is missing is a concentrated effort to ensure that people can reach required services and jobs by exploring transportation options. One-Stops can play important roles in helping people find rides to jobs and training opportunities. Jobs are often located away from mainline transportation or in suburban industrial parks. In rural areas, jobs may be decentralized and situated in communities or areas where there are long distances between employees and work sites. Add to the mix the reality of not having a personal vehicle readily available and people are faced with the daunting question, “But how do I get there?”
While transportation is an issue for everyone, the lack of it in the lives of many people with disabilities is a major obstacle to community access. Knowing this, One-Stop Career Centers can help the job seeker with disabilities find a job AND a ride.
Access the URL to view and download the following fact sheets.
This two page fact sheet provides information on the United We Ride (UWR) program, which is a federal interagency initiative aimed at improving the availability, quality, and efficient delivery of transportation services for older adults, people with disabilities, and individuals with lower incomes. It also highlights the “One Vision One Call” program, which simplifies access to transportation services.
This four page fact sheet provides information on Mobility Management, which is an innovative approach for managing and delivering coordinated transportation services to customers, including older adults, people with disabilities, and individuals with lower incomes. The fact sheet highlights the different ways that this approach differs from traditional transit services and it also identifies the steps involved in coordinating mobility management in a community. Finally, it provides examples of how mobility management has been implemented in two areas.
Access to transportation mobility for older adults, people with disabilities, and individuals with lower incomes is critical for their physical, social, economic, and psychological well-being. This four page fact sheet provides guidance to communities that may wish to adopt a Family of Transportation Services approach to provide a broad range of options and specifically match modes to community demographics and needs, particularly the needs of older adults, people with disabilities, and individuals with lower incomes. The fact sheet highlights what a Family of Transportation Services may include.
This four page fact sheet highlights that greater access to transportation services for people with disabilities, older adults, and individuals with lower incomes begins with a coordination plan and outlines in detail what the elements of a plan would include. Finally, the fact sheet includes guidance for those areas that may need help getting started especially since there are many approaches to developing a coordination plan.
The Homelessness Resource Center represents an interactive community of providers, consumers, policymakers, researchers, and public agencies at federal, state, and local levels. HRC shares state-of-the art knowledge and promising practices to prevent and end homelessness through:
The Co-Occurring Center for Excellence (COCE) was created by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration in 2003 to provide information and a range of services to mental health and substance abuse administrators and policymakers at state and local levels, their counterparts in tribal and Native populations, clinical providers, other providers, and all other agencies and systems through which clients may enter the treatment system. COCE is your go-to resource for co-occurring disorders (CODs) by providing you with state-of-the-art and sustainable technical assistance, training, information and resources, and links to other resources.
Below are new overview papers on co-occurring mental health and substance abuse disorders (COD) available from COCE: COCE Overview Papers are concise and easy-to-read introductions to state-of-the-art knowledge in COD. They are anchored in current science, research, and practices. The intended audiences for these overview papers are mental health and substance abuse administrators and policymakers at State and local levels, their counterparts in American Indian tribes, clinical providers, other providers, and agencies and systems through which clients might enter the COD treatment system.
This overview paper defines and explains services integration and differentiates services integration from systems integration. Services integration refers to the process of merging previously separate clinical services at the level of the individual to meet the substance abuse, mental health, and other needs of persons with co-occurring disorders (COD). The paper examines issues concerning the context, content, approaches, and processes that promote and inhibit services integration.
A growing body of research demonstrates that integrated services produce better outcomes for individuals with COD, particularly those with more serious or complex conditions. Systems integration supports the provision of integrated services. In addition to distinguishing between systems integration and services integration, this paper describes the organizational structures and processes that can promote or inhibit systems integration. The paper encourages the use of creative thinking to obtain and effectively use funding and provides examples of successful initiatives in systems integration at the local and State levels. Although evaluation of the process of systems integration is still in its infancy, one measure of systems integration outcomes is discussed.
Systems integration involves the development of infrastructure within mental health and substance abuse systems that supports the provision of integrated mental health and substance abuse services (integrated treatment within integrated programs) to individuals with COD. Systems integration may include any or all of the following: integrated system planning and implementation; continuous quality improvement; and mechanisms for addressing financing, regulations and policies, program design and certification, interprogram collaboration and consultation, clinical “best practice” development, clinician licensure, competency and training, information systems, data collection, and outcome evaluation.
The concept of systems integration for COD is relatively new and the research base supporting its effectiveness in improving patient outcomes is limited. However, the theoretical appeal of systems integration is increasingly recognized, based in part on the critical role systems play in shaping (or constraining) the activities of those who work in these systems.
The paper is presented in two parts. Part 1 is intended for non-scientists and explains what epidemiology is and how it can be used by practitioners, administrators, and policymakers. Part 1 also presents some highlights from past epidemiologic studies of COD (see Literature Highlights) and introduces three major national studies that are regularly used as sources of information on the nature and extent of COD problems in the United States. Part 2 presents some detailed technical information on these three studies and is intended for audiences who have some familiarity with epidemiologic methods.
Medicare & You contains important information about what's new, health plans, prescription drug plans, and rights and protections to help people with Medicare review their coverage options and prepare to enroll in a new plan if they choose. It is available in both English and Spanish. Each fall, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services mails a geographic-specific version to all households of people with Medicare. In 2008, there are 59 geographic-specific versions with drug and health plan comparison charts for particular states or regions.